This application relates to audio devices, and more particularly, to audio devices such as alarm clocks and radios.
Alarm clocks and clock radios are well known. Such devices allow users to set a wake-up time at which an alarm buzzer is triggered or the radio portion of the clock radio begins to play. However, the types of audio signals that are handled by such devices are limited.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved audio devices such as improved radios and improved clock radios.
It is another object of the present invention to provide audio devices that can handle audio signals other than traditional radio broadcasts.
These and other objects of the invention are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the present invention by providing audio devices that handle audio signals other than traditional radio broadcasts. The audio devices may, for example, be alarm clocks, clock radios, radios, or the like. Audio signals may be provided to the audio devices over a communications network from a potentially distant location. The audio devices may handle audio such as prerecorded music, news, e-mail that is played using a voice-synthesizer, e-mail with voice attachments or other audio attachments, voice mail from a telephone, Internet radio (i.e., radio that is xe2x80x9cbroadcastxe2x80x9d on the Internet and that may be a rebroadcast of a conventional radio station signal from a potentially distant location), or any other suitable audio content.
The audio may be provided in the form of a downloaded digital file (e.g., files in the MP-3 format or any other suitable digital audio format). Such downloaded audio may be played when an alarm goes off to wake up the user of a clock. Because alarm clock radios are often used only briefly in the morning, alarm clock devices may only require a few minutes of play time from a downloaded file. If more play time is desired, more memory may be provided in the clock to accommodate larger downloads. Memory devices such as solid-state memory circuits, hard drives (e.g., miniature hard drives), or any other suitable storage arrangement may be used. An alarm clock radio may also automatically switch to an alternative audio source such as a live FM or AM broadcast if the stored audio runs out. If a downloaded file runs out during playback, the audio device may automatically switch to such a real-time audio source.
If desired, audio may also be provided in real time (e.g., from an Internet radio source or the like). Such streaming digital audio is essentially unlimited, and will not run out. Streaming audio that is received in real time may be buffered using local memory to improve its quality.
For clarity and brevity, the invention is often described in the context of a clock radio. However, the principles of the invention also apply to radios without clock radio functions, web appliances, and other such electronic audio devices.
The audio devices may receive digital audio using any suitable communications technology. As one example, a clock radio device may receive digital audio over telephone lines using modem circuitry. A clock radio of this type may include telephone capabilities if desired.
In general, the downloading of audio or the real time streaming of audio to an audio device requires that a communications path be established between the audio device and a desired audio source.
The audio device, the audio source, or other suitable equipment (e.g., a server on the Internet) may initiate the process of establishing the communications link. For example, if the audio device is a radio with a modem, the radio may automatically place a call to the audio source. If an audio file is being downloaded to an alarm clock device, this type of call may be placed early in the morning, well before the alarm is scheduled to go off. If audio is to be provided in real time, the alarm clock may establish the link just before wake-up time. The audio source may initiate the process of establishing the communications link by placing a call to the audio device at an appropriate time. In some arrangements (e.g., when the communications link is an Internet connection that is always on), the communications link may essentially have already been established.
Suitable communications technologies for providing audio to the audio device include technologies based on satellite systems, fiber optics, cable, wireless links, microwave links, free-space optical links, combinations of such technologies, etc. Communications between the audio device and the audio source may be unidirectional (from the audio source to the audio device) or may be bidirectional. Communications may involve digital or analog transitions. Signals may also involve paging or other messaging transmissions, e-mail transmissions, voice mail transmissions, cellular telephone transmissions, wireless Internet transmissions, packet-based transmissions, any other suitable type of data transmissions, or a combination of such transmissions.
The audio device may have appropriate communications hardware and software to support various communications functions. For example, the audio device may have FM and AM receivers, a receiver for a pager or other messaging service, a radio-frequency receiver, a modem, a telephone modem, a cellular modem, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a cable modem, or any other suitable communications circuitry. The audio device may be connected (wirelessly or with wire) to an in-home network that is connected to the Internet or other communications network by a computer or by a communications device. The choice of which of these arrangements to use may be based on economic and quality issues. For example, using higher bandwidth paths such as DSL paths may provide higher quality signals or faster download times, but may require more expensive hardware than using a lower bandwidth approach based, e.g., on a telephone line modem.
If the audio device is an alarm clock, the device may have a clock (time) set feature and an alarm set feature. The time may be set manually or may be set automatically by the clock. To automatically set the time, the clock may automatically call a predetermined number or otherwise establish a communications path that allows the clock to receive information on the current time. The alarm may be set to a desired wake-up time by the user.
The clock may have a snooze function that allows the user to press a dedicated button to postpone the wake-up alarm by a few minutes.
A band-select switch may be used to select between AM, FM, and Internet audio sources. The switch may be an analog mechanical switch or a digital switch.
E-mail messages may be sent to the audio device. The audio device (e.g., a clock) may have a unique e-mail address or may access the user""s regular e-mail account. The audio device may retrieve e-mail by accessing a mail server to which the mail is directed. The mail server may be accessed at any convenient time, such as in the morning, just before an alarm awakens the user.
E-mail may be viewed on a display such as a liquid crystal display that is part of the audio device. If desired, voice synthesis circuitry may be used to vocalize the e-mail messages so that the user may listen to them. If an e-mail message has a voice attachment, the voice attachment may be played for the user. The audio device may have built-in telephone functions. If the telephone is not answered, the audio device may store messages like an answering machine. Voice mail messages may be handled by a server (e.g., a server in the telephone network or a server accessible through the Internet). This server may be accessed by the audio device when it is desired to retrieve and play the user""s voice mail. Voice mail may also be stored on a local computer to which the audio device is connected over an in-home network.
Buttons may be provided on the audio device for playing, deleting, skipping, and reviewing messages, and performing any other suitable message management functions for e-mail and voice mail. If desired, a button or buttons on the audio device may be used to forward e-mail messages. Such buttons may be used when the user has more than one e-mail address. For example, the user may use one e-mail address for the audio device at home and another e-mail address for work. The user may press one or more of the buttons to forward all or some of the e-mail messages to the computer at work. If, for example, the user has just listened to or viewed an e-mail message using the audio device, the user may press a button that deletes that e-mail message from the audio device""s e-mail list and forwards it to the user""s work e-mail address. If desired, the audio device may be assigned the same e-mail address as the user""s work address. Voice mail may also be forwarded using a dedicated button or buttons.
The user may opt to be awakened by music, news, e-mail, voice mail, a standard alarm buzzer, or any other suitable audio source or combination of sources.
The audio from these sources may be combined to form customized channels made up of portions of the various sources. For example, if the user enjoys country music, classical music, and sports news, these types of content may be combined (e.g., from Internet radio channels) into a custom channel. The user may schedule how portions or segments of the audio from various sources are to be played. For example, the user may select the content and the duration for desired audio segments. Customized content may be provided to the user by the audio device based on the user""s interests.
The user may inform the audio device of the user""s interests or the user may inform a service associated with the audio device (e.g., a service implemented on a server accessed over the Internet) of the user""s interests. Information on the user""s interests may also be collected automatically by monitoring the user""s activities (e.g., by monitoring which stations the user listens to most often). If desired, the user""s interests may be determined based on the user""s interactions with web sites on the Internet that are not directly associated with the audio device (e.g., the user""s interactions with a web site that sells compact disks or the like). Information on the user""s interests may be provided to a service (e.g., an Internet-based service) that coordinates the delivery of customized audio content to the audio device for the user.
If the audio device is a clock, the audio device may have a calendar function. The user may record an audio reminder and assign a date to it. When the date arrives, the reminder may be played back. The user may also enter text for the calendar using an alphanumeric keypad, a touch screen, or any other suitable user interface. An alphanumeric keypad may also be used to help the user select Internet radio stations by their full name (e.g., BBC radio 5) or to provide the audio device with any suitable alphanumeric commands.
The audio device may have tuning controls that allow the user to tune to different audio content. For example, a manual tuning knob or digital tuning buttons may be used to tune to various AM, FM, and Internet stations. Analog or digital readouts may be used to display information on the current station to which the device is tuned.
An analog readout may use a needle or other suitable indicator to show which station the radio is currently tuned to. AM and FM stations may be labeled by their assigned transmission frequencies. Popular Internet radio stations may be assigned to the dial based on their transmission frequencies in their local market. In situations with duplications, duplicated frequencies may be located one after the other. In an audio device with a digital station display panel, an alphanumeric description of the station (e.g., BBC radio 5) may be displayed on the display panel. Information on the current band (AM, FM, or NET) may also be displayed.
With a digital tuning arrangement, up and down buttons may be used to allow the user to tune to different stations. Because the number of available Internet radio stations may be large (e.g., in the thousands), various layered menus may be used to assist the user in locating a station of interest. For example, menus may be presented on a display panel that allow the user to select Internet radio content based on geographic region, language of the content, or type of content (e.g., adult contemporary, alternative, blues, classical, news, sports, police radio, etc.) Internet radio stations may also be listed alphabetically or using any other suitable organization scheme. These organizational arrangements may be used to assist the user in locating audio content from a variety of sources, including AM, FM, short-wave radio (if the radio has short-wave capabilities), non-Internet digital radio services provided over a broadband communications network, Internet radio, downloaded audio files, etc.
Buttons may be provided on the audio device that allow the user to move a cursor through various menus and options that are displayed on the display panel and that allow the user to make desired selections. The buttons may include up and down and right and left arrow keys and a select or enter key. These buttons are merely illustrative. Any suitable buttons may be used if desired.
Dedicated buttons may also be provided to control clock set and alarm set functions, to control e-mail and voice-mail playback, to control the display of e-mail, to control clock set-up functions (e.g., relating to setting the date, the time zone, etc.), to control the snooze function, and to provide easy access to any other suitable functions. For example, buttons may be used to navigate between different audio segments during playback. Buttons may be used to select the types of music to be played. For example, one button may be used to play country music and another button may be used to play rock music. If a suitable display is used (e.g., a touch screen display with configurable on-screen labels), users may assign labels to certain buttons (e.g., a button may be labeled as the rock music button).
In order to maintain a small size for the audio device, the audio device may omit the display or may use a small display. It may therefore be desirable to provide an off-site service with which the user may interact to establish certain settings for the audio device. The settings may be downloaded to the audio device for use by the audio device or may be used by the service in determining which types of content to provide to the user and in determining what features to provide to the user.
For example, an off-site service may provide a web page that the user may interact with using a computing device such as a personal computer that is separate from the audio device (which may be, for example, a clock radio). If there are certain preferences or settings that the user wants to adjust (e.g., favorite Internet radio stations that the user wants the radio to tune to, certain wake-up sequences of music, e-mail, and the like, or certain other settings), the user may provide information on those preferences and settings using the web page.
As an example, an audio device may allow a user to set up 25 favorite stations. These stations may include, for example, Internet radio stations. Because hundreds or thousands of stations are available, a web page including information on various available stations may be used to help the user select the desired stations. The web page may be sponsored by a service associated with the audio device, may be a general directory, may be part of a radio station web site, or may be any other web page. The user may set up the stations for the clock radio that the user is interested in by clicking on links for stations that the user is interested in or by otherwise selecting the proper Internet addresses for the desired stations. Information on both non-Internet radio stations and Internet radio stations may be gathered using this type of remote interface.
Once information identifying the user""s station preferences and the like has been gathered, this information may be used when providing audio content to the user at the audio device. For example, the preference information may be used to select which audio content is provided to the audio device (e.g., as downloaded files). If desired, the station preference information may be provided to the audio device and stored in memory. When the user presses up and down tuning buttons on the audio device, the device may tune to the next available station in the group of stations selected by the user. Dedicated buttons (e.g., number buttons) may each be assigned a different Internet radio station or other audio source if desired, to facilitate direct tuning. Internet radio stations and other audio sources may also be assigned to custom station names that are accessible through the display panel. A scan feature may be provided using a dedicated button or a menu option. If the user directs the audio device to scan, the device may tune to each of the available stations in the current band. If desired, scanning may be limited to a portion of a band or may be limited to the stations in the user""s preferences.
Various audio device functions may be controlled using a remotely-accessed service such as a web-based service or the like. Functions that may be controlled in this way include setting the wake-up time for an alarm clock device, choosing a desired type of content (classical music, rock music, certain Internet radio stations, customized stations, e-mail, news, stock reports, weather reports, etc.) to play upon wake-up in an alarm clock and in what order and for what durations to play such content, choosing clock settings, such as time zone, daylight savings time, etc. These settings and preferences may be used in providing services to the audio device (e.g., when downloading content in advance or providing content in real time) or may be provided to the device and stored for local use by the device. If desired, web page interfaces or the like may be used to control or establish settings for the audio device or other such devices over a local communications link (e.g., an intranet link or an in-home network).
A remote service for adjusting settings and preferences may be based on an Internet interface and accessed by the user with a separate web browser, may be based on an Internet interface and accessed with a web browser that is part of the alarm clock hardware, may be based on an automatic interactive telephone system that plays audio prompts for the user and responds when the user presses certain touch-tone key on the telephone keypad, may be based on an operator-manned customer service facility in which an operator enters settings into a computer after talking to the customer or receiving an e-mail from the customer, or any other suitable scheme in which settings and preferences and the like are adjusted using equipment that is remote from the audio device. Settings and preferences may also be adjusted using dedicated buttons on the device or using menu options or the like that are provided locally by the device when the device has a suitable display screen.
Audio clip descriptions may be provided for each radio station. When the user selects a suitable option, the audio device may play the audio clip description. This allows the user to evaluate whether to add a station (e.g., an Internet radio station) to the tuning sequence of the audio device, without requiring a large display panel on the audio device to display text descriptions of the channel.
Audio service may be provided to the user at the audio device with or without advertisements. This may affect the cost of the service to the user. For example, an Internet radio station or news service or other audio service without commercials may charge a subscription fee, whereas services with advertisements may be received for free.
Advertisements may be targeted to the user based on the user""s preferences. Information on the user""s preferences that is used in targeting advertisements may be gathered by monitoring the user""s activities at the audio device and reporting those activities to an appropriate service (e.g., a service located on a remote server on the Internet or the like). Information on the user""s preferences may also be gathered based on the preferences and settings that the user uses to set up operation of the audio device and that the user uses to customize the content that the user listens to. Advertisements may be provided in real time as streaming digital audio or may be downloaded as digital files and played back at a later time.
If the audio device is a clock radio, the device preferably has clock circuitry and a display (analog or digital) that shows the current time. The time may be set automatically by the device. For example, the device may contact an Internet service to check the current time or may be provided with data on the current time. Multiple users may set different alarm times and profiles using the same clock. For example, one user may establish an early wake-up time and a profile reflecting an interest in rock music, while another user may establish a later wake-up time and a profile reflecting an interest in classical music.
An auxiliary audio output (e.g., a stereo output) may be used to connect the audio device to an audio receiver. If desired, the radio functions of the audio device may be provided in a stand-alone radio or other such appliance.
Voice recognition technology may be used for controlling the audio device. For example, voice recognition may be used to allow a user to direct the device to forward e-mail messages or voice mail messages, to navigate through audio segments or to select a desired type of music to play, to direct an alarm clock to switch from playing an alarm buzzer to playing music, or to perform any other suitable functions.
The audio devices may be located in the home or in any other suitable location. Audio devices may be mobile devices (e.g., car radios). A suitable communications link for such a mobile audio device may be based, for example, on cellular modem technology or other suitable wireless technology.
The user may be provided with the ability to block objectionable audio content. Content may be blocked based on ratings information that is associated with the audio content. Such ratings information may be provided by the audio source that supplies the audio content or a third party service that collects or creates the ratings information. Content may be blocked locally (e.g., at the audio device) or may be blocked remotely (e.g., at an audio service such as a centralized Internet service that serves to collect and distribute audio content to the audio device).